


A Rainbow Connection

by NikaylaSarae



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Brain Freeze, Deceit, Implied/Referenced Mind Control, Possession, Running Away, Slapping, Stalking, song!fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-01
Updated: 2020-04-01
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:00:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23419378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NikaylaSarae/pseuds/NikaylaSarae
Summary: Roman’s on the run, desperate to escape the man who’s been able to control his entire life just by looking into his eyes. Hopping from airport to airport, He unexpectedly runs into the person who gives him the key to slipping from the Cobra’s mental control: Thomas Sanders.
Comments: 5
Kudos: 37





	A Rainbow Connection

**Author's Note:**

> Cross-posted with minor edits from my Tumblr account @stillebesat.
> 
> Songs Used:  
> Freeze Your Brain -from Heathers  
> Disappear -from Dear Evan Hansen  
> Lies -from A New Year of Lying to Myself
> 
> Inspiration from an Anon Ask on Tumblr: _imagine: ever since Thomas played J.D. in Heathers Roman have had an OBSESSION with slushies, and he drink AT LEAST one a day, and when he have one he always sings freeze your brain, every. Single. TIME. without fail._

“You’re a lifesaver, seriously, thank you.” Roman said, taking the saleswoman’s French manicured hand and gently kissing it, causing her to giggle. “With all my heart and soul, I will not forget you for the kindness you’ve shown me this day.” He gave her a charming smile, noting the blush now coloring her cheeks as he slipped his new phone off the counter and into his pocket. 

“No need for dramatics, sir.” She said, withdrawing her hand, cradling it against her chest. “I’m happy to help.” 

“And you’ve done so much more, you have saved my life today.” Roman stated, slinging his backpack over his shoulder, flashing his teeth once more, knowing that the lady would swoon over it. She did. Almost he thought he could hear her knees buckle. “Again, Thank you.” He flourished a bow. “M’lady, I would have been lost without your timely rescue.” 

Roman slipped out of the pocket airport store, and turned back long enough to give the windows and the woman behind them a wave fit for a prince before he adjusted his new sunglasses, acquired two stores back, over his mismatched eyes and sauntered out of sight, heading for his gate. 

“Well she was nice.” He mumbled, pulling at the cuffs of his new dark blue jacket bought four stores before the sunglasses. He probably could have received a steeper discount if he’d been able to take off his shades, but with his eyes...Roman grimaced, running a hand through his short hair, missing his long locks. 

At least they had all been nice; the people in this particular airport. Practically falling over themselves to help the ‘poor handsome stranded boy’ that came into their store, looking for aid on a tight budget.

He exhaled, slipping his new phone back out to shoot a quick text to the one person he could trust since he’d vanished. 

**Snooze**

He knew Remy wouldn’t blink at the new number confronting him when he checked his phone. Not with that one word. He was used to it by now with how often Roman had had to switch phones to avoid being tracked. 

**I see those magic seconds worked?** Came Remy’s lightning response and the tightness in Roman’s shoulders eased. He quirked a smile, glancing at the shops nearby he hesitated when he spotted a drinks shop. It would a gift from heaven if he found a slushie inside. He hadn’t had his favorite drink in nearly 72 hours and it was wearing on him. But that was airport hopping for you. Never leaving the buildings unless it was to get from one terminal to another. Safety. An illusion of one at least.

**Like Disney.** He sent back, giving Remy his chosen code of the day as he headed inside the shop just to see. They hadn’t used Disney references in a while. It should be safe enough to communicate that way for a bit. 

Unlike Disney, however, his transformations had taken much more than pixie dust or a wave of a fairy godmother’s wand. Airports were perfect places to take on a new identity, but spendy. However, with so many people in one place, it was easy to lose sight of just one individual, especially when they changed their clothes. Especially when it was easy to not realize that said individual hadn’t made it onto their original connecting flight--

“No way.” He breathed, zeroing in on the three spinning brightly colored orbs of heaven that quietly hummed on the far side of the wall. This was definitely no 7-Eleven but the fact that this little pocket convenience store had slushies at all... 

Roman had to physically bite his tongue to keep from shouting as he drew close enough to see the flavors. Instead, he settled for a very very tiny fist pump. _“I pray at my altar of slush.”_ he whispered grinning from ear to ear. Pina Colada, Blue Raspberry and... his eyes fell on the tag under the swirling red orb and he nearly laughed out loud. This place had CHERRY! It probably tasted nothing like 7-Eleven’s, but it was CHERRY. It had been ages since he’d been able to get a taste of the good old classic. 

In no time at all, he’d filled the biggest cup up to the brim and taken a huge old slurp through the straw. He closed his eyes, relishing the cool zing that went straight to his brain. It wasn’t the best tasting cherry flavor, but it was good enough. _“Yah, I live for that sweet frozen rush.”_ He crooned, holding the drink against his chest as he walked the remaining distance to his gate, letting the cold seep through his jacket.This had to be the highlight to his day, no. His week. 

_“Freeze your brain, swim in the ice, get lost in the pain.”_ He hummed as he slipped his backpack off his shoulder, tossing it onto one of the waiting seats by the window before he collapsed onto another, pulling out his phone to see Remy’s next text.

**U still holdin a Feather?**

Roman blinked, taking another long drink from his slushie. Dumbo? An interesting choice to reference flying, but Remy always said he preferred the older films. Roman shook his head. Misdirection. Endless misdirection. Not even Remy knew which way he would jump next, but perhaps he could give a small clue to his destination. 

Roman glanced to the nearby screen detailing the next series of flights, double checking his gate before he sent his response. **Like Six. Hoping for a Hero right now.** Roman sent before flashing a smile to the screen, adding: **Along with a spoonful of Sugar.**

He laughed as Remy’s response came near instantaneously. 

**Seriously? You have a problem.**

Roman shrugged, taking another long slurp from his drink. _Happiness comes when everything’s numb._ **Hey, whatever helps the medicine go down.** _And freezes your brain._

**Dude. No.**

**Dude. Yes.**

No matter what, he would never give up his favorite drink. Hopefully nobody but Remy ever realized how addicted to the things he actually was. Else they would just need to check out every 7-Eleven across the continent to eventually find him at one. 

He shivered at the thought before forcefully shoving it away. No. No. No. Don’t think like that. 

He leaned back in the chair, hand holding tight to his cup. _“Shut your eyes tight, till you vanish from sight, let nothing remain.”_ He hoped it would never come to him having to give up his slushies. _“Freeze your brain, shatter your skull, fight pain with more pain, forget who you are.”_ He’d already had to give up so much to escape. _“Unburden your load…”_ He exhaled, playing with the straw. _“Forget in six weeks you’ll be back on the road.”_ More like six hours. He checked the departing time of his flight once more. Alright, more like an hour and a half, but it felt like he could never fully relax. Always on the run, always looking over his shoulder. 

_Ding._

Roman jerked from his musings as his phone chirped out the unfamiliar sound. That wasn’t…his heart took off in his chest. Who would be contacting him? IT WAS A NEW PHONE! He’d barely had it _half an hour._ No one else should have his number.

**~You always serenade your slurpees, J. Delightful?~**

Roman stiffened, staring at the words on his screen before slowly looking up, the blood draining from his face as he searched the waiting area filled with other passengers, most of them on their phones. How?! Nonononono. He couldn’t have been found already?! He’d been to nearly a dozen airports in the past 3 days! There was no way. No way--

_Ding._

Despite himself, Roman looked down at the new message, breath hitching. 

**~Geez, Veronica. You look like you’ve just seen a ghost.~**

_They were here._ The phone dropped from numb fingers. No. 

Roman shot to his feet like he'd been electrified. Pulling his sunglasses from his eyes to clear his sight, he took off in a dead run from the gate. Backpack and slushie forgotten. He had to get out of here!

He'd been found. He had no idea how. How!? He slipped off his jacket, switching it inside out to the grey lining as he ran, only vaguely aware of the attention he was attracting. Late for his flight, the excuse flitted through his mind. If security stopped him, he would tell them that--

Roman glanced behind him to see if anyone was chasing after him, only to run smack dab into another person, sending Roman stumbling backwards, a hand grabbing onto his the only reason why he didn’t end up on the floor. 

_Idiot._ Roman chastised himself, though he could have sworn there’d been no one in front of him when he’d looked back. “Sorry.” He jerked his hand roughly from the man’s grip, looking behind him once more. “Gotta dash.” He only made it a step past the stranger before they grabbed his elbow, pulling him back. 

“Hold on.” Came a vaguely familiar voice.

Roman hadn’t thought he could feel any colder, but boy, the chills that ran down his spine sure proved him wrong. _There’s more than one._ Of course there would be more than one! He jerked his arm roughly, but the stranger had a grip like iron. _Eyes down. Freeze your brain. Eyes down. Freeze your brain. Eyes down. Freeze your brain._ he chanted frantically to himself. “Let go.” He tried to sound forceful, but his voice only held terror. This couldn’t be happening. Not after all that effort. 

“Which one has you?” 

Huh? Reflexively Roman looked up before he could stop himself, meeting the melted chocolate colored eyes of---He knew that face, though he’d never imagined seeing it this close, never thought he’d be in the same room ever since he’d been forced to sit through _Heathers_ and finally managed to...to... 

“Thomas?” He whispered, not quite believing it. The man who’d unknowingly helped to give Roman the strength to break free--he flinched as the young man’s eyes sharpened, the whites therein filling with a swirling rainbow, locking Roman’s gaze onto his. 

Roman stiffened, tears prickling at the corner of his eyes, unable to move. _No. No. NO! THOMAS WAS ONE OF THEM?!?!_

He whimpered as a warm hand cupped his cheek, thumb lightly brushing near Roman’s right eye, the awful golden snake-like eye. 

“Which one has you?” Thomas repeated softly, his voice like the echo of sunshine in the middle of summer. 

Roman opened his mouth, but despite the distance, despite the time away...he still couldn’t say it. His fingers twitched as he struggled to give the answer demanded, mind whirling. “Ja-Jafar.” He whispered, unable to give the true name of the monster who’d done this to him. 

“He’s alone.” Another voice, deeper in tone from Thomas’ stated from behind Roman. “No Handlers in sight.” 

The rainbow swirling in Thomas’s eyes grew brighter along with his smile. “You escaped the Cobra?” He breathed, stepping forward, guiding Roman to move backwards until they paused behind a pillar, out of direct sight of people walking by, his hand still on Roman’s cheek.

Escaped? So this guy...these two? Weren’t...weren’t here...

A sharp intake of breath sounded from the other. “You’re kidding. No one escapes him.” The other voice stated as a dark figure with hood drawn up, fringe of purple hair hiding his eyes, moved into Roman’s peripheral sight. 

Thomas nodded, keeping his eyes locked on Roman’s to keep him in his control, to keep him from leaving. “Virge, I know what you’re thinking--”

“That this is a trap? How could this guy!” A pale hand gestured to Roman. “ESCAPE _Him?_ You know that doesn’t just happen! He--”

_“Freeze your Brain.”_ Roman whisper-sang, interrupting the two of them. 

Virge lowered his hand, lifting his head so his bangs fell out of his eyes, revealing one eye so blue it was violet, the other the same shade of brown as Thomas. “You’re telling me...that _that song._ Helped you escape?” He shook his head. “You gotta be kidding, J. Delightful.” 

J. Delightful. So this Virge was Roman’s mysterious texter, he hadn’t been tracked, he hadn’t been followed, these guys...these guys weren’t on Jafar’s side. “I’m not.” Roman denied, quietly.

Thomas grinned like an excited puppy, the hand on Roman’s cheek growing warmer “You saw my show!” He exclaimed, practically bouncing on his toes. “That’s how you knew my name.” 

Roman gave the slightest of nods, his tense shoulders relaxing despite his Held state. “New Orleans, Mardi Gras.” 

“You mean that….worked?” Virge demanded. 

“What do you mean it worked?” Thomas asked, raising an eyebrow. He briefly glanced to Virge. _“No one deserves to be forgotten. No one deserves to fade away.”_ He sang, his voice like honey, sending a shiver down Roman’s spine. Virge’s brown eye briefly swirled into a rainbow and he hunched his shoulders jerking his head down. 

“That’s different! You can’t tell me that _Heathers_ actually helped free--” 

“Not free, his eyes show that, but enough to fight. Enough for me to--” Thomas moved closer to Roman until all he could see were his chocolate pupils surrounded by the swirling rainbows. They filled his entire vision. Just like...just like…Roman trembled, a small whimper once more escaping. _Please. Not again._

Those eyes softened, compassion filling them. _“I’ve been through ten high schools, they start to get blurry.”_ Thomas sang gently. _“No point planting roots cause you’re gone in a hurry. My dad keeps two suitcases packed in the den, so it’s only a matter of when.”_

Just like that, it felt like Roman was back in New Orleans, sitting in the theatre where the minions had left him hours ago, trapped in his seat, unable to move without their command, staring at the stage until his eyes were dry, silently screaming for help with no one the wiser to his predicament. No one to break through to him until...the actor dressed as J.D. had walked onto the stage, giant slurpee in hand and begun to sing with the voice of an angel. 

A voice that then had wrapped around Roman like a warm blanket, easing the tightness around his eyes, breaking through the cobwebs shrouding his mind, giving him a couple precious minutes of feeling like he was in control once more. Able to fight.

_“Don’t learn the names. Don’t bother with faces.”_

A wave of heat passed over Roman’s eyes, bringing him back to the present, to the rainbow in front of him swirling like a tornado. The tension in his body cracked, melting with each word Thomas sang, his mind growing clearer than it had been even at Mardi Gras. 

_“All I can trust is this concrete oasis. Seems every time I’m about to despair. There’s a 7-Eleven right there.”_

A hesitant smile broke over Roman’s face, this wasn’t at all like D---like Jafar’s. It was soothing, loving. Heat buffered over Roman and he opened his own mouth. 

_“Each store is the same from Las Vegas to Boston.”_ He harmonized. _“Li-”_ Roman cut off with a gasp, doubling over as a frozen nail dug into his head focused behind his golden snake eye. 

His mouth opened on it’s own accord, his voice darker, uglier as a faint hiss came from between his lips.  
**_“Let’s face the facts and come to terms.”_** He ground out over Thomas’s angelic voice. **_“It’s time to realize.”_** Like a puppet on a string, his head jerked up, a cruel smile twisting his lips. “These goals are only merely hope we quickly leave behind.” Roman’s hand dug into Thomas’s wrist, pulling his hand from his cheek. **_“They’re lies, lies, lies, lies, lies.”_**

“Oh, no you don’t.” Thomas growled, the rainbow in his eyes spreading to cover the entire surface. “Virge.” 

A cool hand slapped Roman, jerking his head to the side as pressure behind his knees sent him to the floor. 

Roman gasped, moaning as claws dug into his head, his lips parting once more as he looked up glaring at the two of them. **_“Don’t kid yourself, you know your year can’t be that sublime.”_**

_“No one deserves to be forgotten.”_ Virge sang into Roman’s ear as he knelt with Thomas, his violet eye glowing, while the other swirled with its own Rainbow. 

Roman growled jerking under their combined rainbow gaze, the pressure in his head building. 

_“Freeze your brain.”_ Thomas encouraged, offering him a confident smile as Virgil continued with his own song, somehow weaving the two together.

_“No one deserves to fade away.”_

_“Suck on that straw, get lost in the pain.”_

Roman writhed, lips pulled back in a silent snarl, even as he pleaded silently with his eyes. Help him. _Please._ Help him. 

**“You sicken me.”** He ground out in the darker voice. **“You can’t always rely on a catchy tune to solve your problems.”**

“I disagree.” Thomas said firmly, again reaching his hand up to cup Roman’s cheek.

_“No one should come and go. And have no one know.”_ Virge continued, placing his own hand on Roman’s head, running his fingers through his short hair.

_“Happiness comes when everything numbs.”_

Roman inhaled shakily as the needles attacking his eye faded, a soothing balm of warmth flowing over the pain in his eyes like a lazy river. 

_“He was ever here. No one deserves to disappear.”_

_“Freeze your brain.”_

_“To disappear.”_

_“Freeze your brain.”_

Virgil and Thomas leaned in, their voices melding together into one commanding note. _“Disappear.”_

The weight of cold tension holding Roman snapped chased away by the love and confidence flowing into him from the others. He slumped against the wall, gasping for breath, every muscle in his body relaxing under Thomas and Virge’s rainbow stares. 

Thomas searched his eyes, studying them closely before he sat back with a quiet laugh. “You’re free.” 

“Of that snake at least. If just barely.” Virge commented, pulling his hand away from Roman’s hair to adjust his hood, once more hiding his mismatched eyes. 

“Well, it’s not like we’ve faced him directly before like that either.” Thomas shrugged, giving Roman a smile, the rainbow fading from his eyes until they were back to their normal melted chocolate colored shade. “You okay?” 

Roman raised a trembling hand to his right eye. “I’m…” he wasn’t sure. This felt...so unreal. For the first time in forever he felt like his old self, without the black pressure on him, weighing like a mountain on his mind.

Thomas pulled out his phone and hitting the screen, pressed it into Roman’s hand. “See for yourself.” He ducked his head as Roman lifted the phone to see his reflection in the camera. 

His eyes….the golden demonic snake eye was gone. Roman pulled the camera closer to him, studying the new irises that confronted him. His left eye, once a horrible icy blue had deepened to its original sapphire shade, but the right….while no longer golden...had darkened to match Thomas’s brown ones. 

His breathing hitched. Thomas had Control now. He wasn’t free. He wasn’t free!

“The further you are from me.” Thomas said quietly, breaking into his thoughts. “The more that eye will return to its normal color.”

Roman tore his eyes away from the camera to stare at Thomas. “Huh? But you--” That didn’t make any sense. Keep his distance? Thomas controlled him! 

Thomas grinned sheepishly, carefully slipping his phone from Roman’s limp hand, placing it back into his jacket pocket. “Just…” he shrugged, scratching the back of his neck. “Think of me as a shield alright? I’m protecting you from being Taken by anyone else, but I’m not going to do anything more than that. You have your own life. I’m not going to interfere.” He toed the ground, sticking his hands in his pockets. “But you are welcome to join us, if you want to.” He offered, again flashing a smile. “You have a great voice we could use for the tour.” 

“I...I don’t understand.” Roman whispered, his heart pounding in his chest. He didn’t want to believe what he was hearing. Didn’t want to hope that this was true. Thomas was...letting him go? He had to be mistaken.

“Basically,” Virge stood, holding out a hand to Roman. “You can get on that flight you were waiting for, head off for San Francisco, your eyes will both be blue by the time you land and you can pretend that this was all a dream. Thomas won’t control you.” 

Roman frowned. It had to be a trick. He’d seen Virge’s eyes. “But you…”

“Someone has to protect this soft-hearted idiot.” Virge shrugged, tugging at his hood. “But it’s my choice.” 

“He can leave whenever.” Thomas agreed.

“Not likely.” 

Thomas rolled his eyes, giving the other boy a fond smile. “Just like you.” He said, returning his attention to Roman. “You’re free to leave.” He gestured around the airport. “No strings attached.”

Free. Roman slowly shook his head in disbelief. Free as he could be under the circumstances. But free. He could head for San Francisco and--wait. He jerked his head up as he took Virge’s hand. “How did you know I was heading to San Francisco?” He demanded as the purple haired boy pulled him to his feet. “My flight is leaving for Denver.” 

Virge gave a slow smirk, pulling his other hand out of his jacket, proffering Roman the phone he had dropped in his attempt to escape. “First. You need to lock your phone. Second. Your text clue to your mystery friend was easy to interpret once I realized it was referencing a Disney movie. _Like Six. Hoping for a Hero._ Six. Hero. Big Hero 6. Which takes place in San Fransokyo aka San Francisco. Simple.” 

Roman gaped at him. It was simple, but...he’d never expected a guy dressed like a goth to watch Disney nor get the reference..

“Using Disney? As a code? That’s Genius!” Thomas grinned to Roman before turning to Virge. “We should do that!” 

He wrinkled his nose. “Why? Our phones are so encrypted that you could fly to Pluto and back before some hacker could break into it.” Virge tilted his head to Roman’s phone. “Yours is too by the way. No need to keep changing phones. It’s untraceable...unless I’m the one looking for you.” 

Roman raised his eyebrows. Who was this guy? It was like he’d walked straight out of a spy movie. “Well that’s...not comforting at all MC Hacker.” Roman remarked, pocketing the phone.

Virge waved a hand dismissively. “Whatever. Contact us if you need us.” He grabbed Thomas’ arm. “Let’s go before you start singing Disney with him.” He muttered.

Thomas chuckled, his eyes lighting up, “Oh come on, V, it’s not like we don’t do it all the time on tour anyways.” 

“And it drives me insane every time.” He said, pulling Thomas away. “Later J. Delightful” He smirked. “If you hurry, I’m pretty sure you have time to grab another slushie.”

Thomas looked back, eyes sparking. “Just don’t too much alright?” He called with a wave. “Good luck!” 

Roman raised his hand to return the wave, before lightly touching his cheek underneath his currently brown eye. Was it true? He could….live normally again? It certainly looked like Thomas had no intention of calling him to follow or ordering him around. 

Roman turned to head back to his gate, to his backpack, to escaping….but he found himself hesitating. Looking back to the dwindling figures of Virge and Thomas, their arms over each others shoulders, Thomas laughing at something Virge had apparently said. 

_You’re welcome to join. No strings attached._

No strings except his eyes never looking completely normal again. But if the Goth could handle it….why couldn’t he? 

Roman moved before his brain fully finished the thought. “Hey guys!” He called, breaking into a run. His heart pounding in his chest. Hoping that this wasn’t going to be a mistake. “Wait!”


End file.
